This was such a fun experience. You actually get to help pull up lobster pots out in the bay. The…read morefather and daughter duo explain the whole process and teach you how to put the rubber bands on the claws. They point out different wild life and the views are gorgeous. The boat ride is not artificially extended for the sake of "getting your money's worth". It was the perfect length to get the experience of what it's like to lobster. The food cart and having your lobster cooked up fresh at the pier was incredible and such a lovely family run business. This is a great way to support the industry when hauls have been declining over the years to due to ocean warming. Definitely worth the drive to come experience this tour!!

You love lobster? You like wholesome? Don't sleep on this experience with Captain Dan, family and…read morefriends. I was in it for the hope of seeing puffins but not wanting to be on a huge tour boat. I chose this one also because it would give us the chance to "be a fisherman" and learn more about the process, industry of lobstering. Wait, I kid myself, it was totally about the FRESH lobster we'd get to enjoy at the wharf upon our return. This experience was the perfect 1.5 hr duration for us kicking off at 2:30pm. We had the most beautiful weather that still required layers for the chill in the air and splash of the boat ride. Speaking of boat ride, we took low drowsy Dramamine as a safeguard ahead of the trip, not sure if we really needed it or not because the boat was so smooth and steady even when stopped. Either way, a good precaution knowing how easily triggered we are getting by motion lately. Anyway, the last week of July we were SPOILED with perfect blue skies, a ton of seals, a ton of puffins and an amazingly sweet fresh lobster meal following the ride.

When you live in Maine, who thinks about taking boat tours? That's for tourists!! (Lol!!)…read more Seriously, though, we had guests in town, so we thought it'd be fun to charter a boat for the four of us to go up the Penobscot River to Bangor. (At least that was the initial itin.) Me matey, Jay (after some due diligence on boat companies in the Bucksport area) , chose Penobscot Boat Tours as our charter. Jay said the communication(s) with Capt. Jeff Sennett (Owner/Operator) was excellent; his boat was faster/stronger to get us to Bangor and back in the least amount of time; and, the price for a 4-hr charter was less than other quotes. Splendid!! It was a dreary start to Tuesday when we arrived at 11 am with weather not looking promising for a jaunt up to Bangor; windy, rainy and choppy waters on the menu. This daunted us not, though! So, "Gilligan" and the gang (that'd be Mr. and Mrs. Howell, and the Professor), arrived at the Bucksport Marina in good spirits for our "3-hr tour"... er, 4-hr tour at Penobscot Boat Tours! ;) The boat was very cool (as all boats are!), and the Capt. Jeff (our imposing "Skipper" for this tour) made us all feel very welcomed, in good hands, and rarin' to-go!! After some discussion about the weather and tour route, we all agreed to a downriver jaunt for lunch in Belfast, and return to home base. Prior to Belfast, though, we made a special request of our intrepid Capt. (despite the hairy weather that we could see going on upriver) to take us a few miles upriver to where the Marsh River confluences into the Penobscot River. The rough-n-tumble ride was, of course, E-Ticket! (In all honesty, though, the confluence was a bit anticlimactic, but the ride was awesome!) Anyway, we turned around and headed for what was to be drier climes. The weather improved immensely and made for some pretty alluring scenery! Normally, we just drive to Belfast (20 mins) mainly not seeing the water much, behind trees/forests and such. So, seeing the coastline from the water -- seeing all those privileged homes tucked and nestled in splendid nooks and crannies! -- was a totally new POV, that's for sure! Capt. Jeff would slowdown now-and-then to point spots of interest out to us, to see seals basking on rocky shoals, and numerous heads bobbing up-and-down in the middle of the bay was pretty darn awesome!!! When we got to Belfast, Capt. Jeff gave us a suggestion for lunch (which we took and enjoyed), while he waited. The trip back to Bucksport was leisurely and beautiful as the summer sun shone upon our last leg back. The whole experience of seeing the land from the water was just wonderful! We never felt rushed; Capt. Jeff was very generous with his time. It was SO worth the cost and, more so, the experience! We will definitely be chartering another trip in the near future with Penobscot Boat Tours...!!! We all had such a great time...!!! :D

Booked our cruise the day before for a 4-hour trip and had a wonderful time cruising up to Bangor.read more

We had the most enjoyable two hours with Captain Eli on the R.L. Gott. We learned so much about Bar…read moreHarbor, the Gott family and how their boat name came to be, the inhabitants of the local islands, conservation and sustainability efforts of the land and wildlife, North Atlantic farm raised salmon, and best of all, the ins and outs of the lobster fishing industry. A good guide can make or break a tour like this and Captain Eli was a great storyteller with a wealth of information. In addition, we saw harbor seals, porpoises, cormorants and bald eagles. Appreciated that they allowed both sides of the boat to get good views of the wildlife. It does get chilly on the boat so bring a jacket. Highly recommend this tour.

Our tour was great! We got to see a lot of wildlife (seals, porpoises, bald eagles and more). Eli…read morewas a great guide with good stories and kept us safe in the boat. It was fun to see him pull a lobster trap.

We took their Nature Cruise with Kevin and Annalise. Kevin was funny and entertaining, telling us…read morestories of the rich folk who built cottages on the waterfront. Annalise was very knowledgeable and told us about lobstering, showed us seals and bald eagles, and even a shy harbor porpoise. It was a fun 2 hour cruise and much less crowded than the ones at the harbor.

We took the puffin tour: Nice service and crew- gave me ginger chewable when I was sea sick,…read morechecked in frequently to make sure everyone on the boat was doing okay. We saw puffins, seals, and a few porpoises. Pictures do not do it justice Wish the speaker down low were higher- hard to hear while out boating. It is chilly too so make sure to wear pants and a jacket! So fun

Wonderful storytelling and sights, especially for the price I (frankly) expected much less. Our…read moretour narrator and captain were friendly, but not in a weird way. You can tell the care taken to educate and entertain safely -- and there are no bad seats! Our boat was nearly full and everyone on board had a great time and chance to see, hear, and experience everything.

When you can learn and have fun at the same time all while enjoying some fresh sea air on the…read morewater, that's a great day! The captain and crew were so knowledgeable and friendly. Two hours was perfect...and "just enough" of each activity. We came for the lobstering experience but found the seal watching a highlight as well. I was also surprised how affordable the fare was. Bring a little cash for a tip as I guarantee you will want to thank your hosts for an great time!

We had a great day with Travis on his lobster boat! He was…read moreaccommodating, friendly and knowledgeable and made our three hour charter an incredible time. I look forward to cruising with him again!

From the owner: Buggin ME Boat Tours is an owner run boat charter business. Capt. Travis is a 3rd generation…read morelobsterman. He is licenced and insured with his OUPV (six pack) Capt. License for up to 100 gross tons. There are several packages and options of trips ranging from hauling lobster gear, sightseeing, to Island hopping. Come climb aboard the Sarah B. For an authentic Maine experience. packages Maine experience (4hr hauling traps & nature watch) $575 Mini Maine experience (2hr hauling traps & nature watch) $375 Sunrise or Sunset cruise ( peaceful ride around the bay 1.5hr only at sunrise/set) $210 Around the Cape (relaxing ride seal/ nature) 3hr $440 4hr$520 Island hopping (6hr explore down the bay bring a skiff to access small inhabitated islands, accessibility is limited) $950 Custom $180/hr terms of service to be agreed upon with Buggin' ME.

Fabulous day out on the water... Although we took the whale watching tour a little bit early in…read morethe season, there was plenty to see. I imagine this ride would have been amazing for a birder - but I just found it really cool to see puffins floating on the water, and different birds soaring above - with the first mate naming each as they passed. For the whales... well, it took a little bit of time to find them, but once the captain and mate did - the experience was breathtaking. I've been on whale watches before - out of Boston, Gloucester, and P-town - but I don't remember feeling this close to the majestic creatures. A humpback calf entertained us (it really seemed to want to show off!!) with breaches and jumps and swimming under the boat. I'm no marine biologist, but this outfit really seemed to respect the whales' space too. Engines off when we were close... instructions to softly cross the boat when needed as stomping will scare them... and if there were other boats coming in to the space (rare) - this boat kept a distance, and/or departed for another spot. First mate Durlan (? sorry, bad with names) was very knowledgeable about the whales and the birds and took great pics. Had nothing but respect for the captain - he seemed perfect for the job. I happened to be able to spend some time with another employee of the outfit - just along for the ride and to take some camera shots. Jenn works part time in the office, but was a great ambassador for the tours. I learned tons about the birds and whales... and Grand Manan. Whether in awe (and yes, crying) at the actions of these noble creatures, or listening intently to the birding banter between other passengers.... to say that it was an enjoyable outing would certainly be an understatement.

Peter and Durlan are super professional and awesome tour guides. You won't be disappointed. I…read morehighly recommend their services when visiting Grand Manan Island

Captain Walker was fantastic. He took my friends and I out on a ride around Stonington that was…read morejust perfect. He talked to us a bit about the history of Stonington, took us past some seals (rock sausages) and a few islands. We could tell he loves being out on his boat and sharing that others. Thank you Captain Walker!

I don't even know where to begin, Captain Walker took a page out of Johnny's book, and you feel…read morethis is only just the beginning of a very long adventure. I first actually met him in California on the beach, where he was reminiscing about his boat somewhere back east. When I ended up traveling for a work trip, I looked him up and I was in luck. needless to say good tied tours did the job for me and some clients that I needed to entertain I'd highly recommend spending a not very serious time, enjoying life in the presence of this fantastic human.

I'm from Maine. I recreate in the outdoors all year round. I have seen and experienced a lot of the…read morebest of Maine and this is at the top of the best. Holy smokes. We had a perfect day, went ashore on the island, birds EVERYWHERE. The crew was great especially Abby. She was knowledgeable, knew all the bird species, knew the local history. Just great info source. She and the crew were pleasant, friendly, and safety conscious. Is it pricey? Yup. But it's a 5 hour excursion to a wild place jammed with amazing wildlife. Just get up there and do it. But sells out fast so plan ahead!

Great tour. They are very versed in the area. Captain Ralph makes sure you see everything there is…read moreto offer in the bay.

This a great tour. The captain has a wonderful wit. Got to see whales, dolphins, seals, and eagles.read more

Today started at 6:00 am to catch a 7:45 am boat departure with plan to see whales, seals,…read moredolphins, Bald Eagles, the lighthouse area we walked yesterday-the walking area to get to it is submerged in water at high tide today; ride through it and experience The Old Sows Pen (huge whirlpools where ingoing and outgoing tides intersect. Amazing 2 hour trip aboard The Lorna Dione Small boat with 6 passengers and our Captain Ralph. Man did Captain Ralph deliver !!! We saw 3 species of whales up close, heard their blow and got great pictures. Riding through the cut at lighthouse (we walked yesterday) was amazing and the whirlpools were thrilling. Captain Ralph made sure we got the whirlpool experience, including turning off motors and us going around 180 degrees .